Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte Might Come Early in 2018

Rumor has it, Starbucks iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte will make its return on Aug. 28, 2018.

While that date might seem a bit early for fall’s signature beverage, it’s not much earlier than last year’s release date. In fact, for the most part, it’s right on time.

In 2017, Starbucks released the beverage on September 5, just one week later in the year. The Pumpkin Spice Latte of 2016 had a similar release date: September 6. In both cases, many stores started selling the beverage a bit earlier, on September 1st. The beverage also had an August release date in 2011-2014.

Starbucks hasn’t officially announced the return of the beverage just yet. That late August date is coming from a private fan group of the beverage that many Starbucks baristas are a member of. Several baristas have also posted pictures of the pumpkin spice syrup used to make the drink on Reddit, indicating that it’s already arriving in stores, although the baristas have not been instructed on when to start selling it. The August 28 date comes from internal Starbucks documents viewed by Business Insider.

Starbucks introduced the Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003, following the success of other seasonal beverages like its Peppermint Mocha and Eggnog Latte. The beverage is one of the coffee chain’s highest-selling drinks each year and has developed a cult following, in part due to its limited availability.